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Welcome to my blog. I hope you find plenty of inspiration here. Nothing too fancy, no great skills required, just lots of cards, gifts and perhaps the odd bit of shopping.

My blog contains lots of links to freebies. Without sounding like "mother" can I ask you to leave a kind comment to the generous givers of such fabulous artwork. I know of at least a couple of artists who are feeling a bit unloved at the moment. Thanks. X

Friday, 30 April 2010

Quickie friday post today before i get off to work. A little card i made yesterday to put in my little shop display.

The stamp is by Inkadinkado and takes no time to colour. The card base is a Tesco 5"x5". A couple of little stickies and that's all there is to it except for the 2 score lines at the bottom which don't show up very well.

The nice postman came yesterday with my new stamps. I've been hankering for these for at least 2 years!! And yes of course i've played with them!

Friday weigh in 9st 12.another one off, not bad considering last weekends naughtiness. Big hurdle this week as it's bank holiday. I don't normally work mondays but Speedy will be off and wanting to play.

Thursday, 29 April 2010

........CHRISTMAS!!!! Last year i didn't start my christmas cards until september and was i sorry.There's no natural light after 3 o'clock and it's impossible to get colours right even with a Craft lamp. So this year i'm starting now. My cardmaking ground to a halt yesterday when a big fat queen wasp appeared in my room. (Not that i'm in any position to call anyone fat)! I sprayed it with flyspray and had to wait for it to finish break dancing on my desk, then i scooped it up with a sheet of paper and put it out of the window.Here's the first of my cards.

This is my favourite penny black stamp along with the little dog with the tie, mind you i have just ordered some more so they could be in for some competition. I made loads with this stamp last year. The paper is My Minds Eye bloom and grow.

The mouse is coloured with promarkers with a bit of glitter glue on the hat. Punched snowflakes, gems and a computer sentiment add the finishing touches.
Right quick hoover around and mop of the kitchen floor and off into my den. Thanks for visiting. Di. xx

Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Yipee, off today and tomorrow. Apart from the household chores i need to get cracking on a load of cards for next weeks posts as i'm taking a week off to make 120 wedding invitations for my stepson. Luckily Nina, the bride doesn't want anything too fussy.We have put together a design with ivy ........wait for it................peel offs!!!! Yuk, i hear you say but they're really nice burgundy glittery peel offs, and there was no way i was going to talk her into me stamping and colouring the same design 120 times. I mean lets face it there all going to end up in the bin in the end anyway. The hardest part fo me will be the tekky bit with the inserts. M&S sell a cd for this so i think i may invest in one.
This card was so hard to photograph.The dark card is actually mid navy.

Well what on earth have Blogger done!!! It took me ages to suss out how to upload that photo.It is now nine o'clock and i'm not even showered. i so wanted to make an early start!
The image is by paper nation and papers are papermania creative tones

I'm going to stomp off into the shower now poor Speedy is on his way out to work and has had NO attention this moning, better go and give him a peck!

Monday, 26 April 2010

Well that garden centre was a bit of a let down yesterday.I haven't been since last summer and it's changed such a lot since then.The gift shop has gone smaller because they've extended the cafe.The prices have gone through the roof and the farm shop has turned into a bit of a supermarket. Even the veg aren't local anymore.We were talking to a local lady about it and she said they get a lot of coaches using it as a tea break stop off and they make a lot of money from them.Still we did find a nice hanging basket for mother in law so it wasn't a total waste of time.
Anyway, here's todays card.

This stamp is from a set by My favourite things which i got from Dies to Die For. I think it's called window shopping but again it's not in its original packaging. I love it because it's so easy for paper piecing.

The paper is from the Papermania capsule collection.The great thing about this pad is thet you only get one A5 sheet of each design so you have to challenge yourself to get as much as possible out of the sheet. I even had a little piece left for tomorrows card.I had to colour the shoes with the fine end of my whispers pens as promarkers aren't quite fine enough.
I'm going to mums with my sister today so i'd best go and get myself dressed and do something with my hair which was wet when i started this post but is drying itself into some ridiculous punk style! Di.x

Sunday, 25 April 2010

Morning all, what's it going to do today then? Speedy is taking me to Holt (near Wrexham a short drive away) later on. There is one of those pick you own fruit farms there and although there won't be anything ready to pick yet there is also a big garden centre. They sell alsorts of gifty things, different to the usual garden centre stuff and there is also a big farm shop.The reason i'm getting this rare treat is because we need to get the mother in law a birthday pressie.My stepson is getting wed in september and i'm doing the invites and the flowers. There are some really gorgeous silk flowers in this shop so i'll be able to weigh them up too.
Todays little morsel is a notelet set i made with the little wooden embelishments i bought last week.

I photographed these on thursday and try as i might, i couldn't get a decent photo, just like my last set. The chickens and gems are by Crafting For occasions ,( usually on twirly stands). The little cards are 4"x4" hessian look.

I'm not 100% sure what the sentiment stamp is because it's not in it's original packaging but i think it could be a Hero Arts clear set. Look under notecards in my "labels" to see more sets.

Friday, 23 April 2010

I was wandering around Wilkinsons last week looking for bargains and came across these notepads for 49p each.

They are quite small, about 6"x4" and pretty boring.I bought 2 of each colour and plonked them on my desk.Yesterday i decided it was about time i made something other than a card so the books sprung to mind.The best thing about this hobby is the joy of seeing what a bit of paper and glue can do to brighten up the dullest things.

The tree stamp is from a clear set called spring garden by Kanban. The letters are a set of square "peg" type stamps. I got them from WHS when i first started stamping. I never used them until i bought a square punch in just the right size. The papers are Clare Curd (again).

I even heat embossed the trees which i'm normally too lazy to do.I may add a couple of gems to them. They've gone into my emegency gift stash.
Best get ready for work or i'll be late! Love Di. x

Friday weigh in 9st 13lb, one pound off, quite lucky as i was naughty at the weekend.If Speedy has his wicked way i'll be naughty this weekend too. Still if i can lose a pound a week instead of putting a pound a week on like i was i'll be happy enough.

Thursday, 22 April 2010

Hello everyone,another nice sunny day, my computer says it's minus one out there but i don't believe it. I've got to waste a few hours today sitting in the hospital waiting room. Speedy's got to have a heart scan, he had kidney failure last year and they like to keep an eye on him. The kidney failure was due to a back up of urine as a result of ignored enlarged prostate symptoms,which caused his pipes from kidney to bladder to collapse. One kidney is fine but the other is damaged. So if your othe half is struggling to pee drag him to the doctors like i should have done.
I kept off the docrafts site yesteday between 10am and 6pm and as a result i've got 7 creations in the "photo bank". I'll try and do more this afternoon because i like to have stuff in reserve in case i don't have time now and again.

The image for this card is by penny black and is called "the sensations".I coloured it with promarkers and added some gems to the pigs necklace.The dotty paper is by Clare Curd. The other one is very old and i think it could be either docrafts or paper mania.

A bit of ribbon and fibre, a punched flower and some stickles completes the card.
I'll go and wake the sleeping beauty with a cuppa now. He completely hates anything to do with hospitals and doctors, mind you don't we all.
See you soon, Di. xx

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

I really love this new "man" stamp set from Clare Curd. I love all the little elements which can be cut out or used to make a backing paper,(watch this space).

I reckon it's a real bargain at £5.99 and i'll get loads of use out of it for making cards to sell as they will look as good with just "flat" colouring.I enjoyed making this card but i think i'll keep it for personal use as people won't pay for all that fiddly cutting out.

I usually feel more comfortable making square cards but this image is more suitable for a rectangular 5" x7" card. The backing paper is Papermania green capsule collection.

You can't see very well in the photo but i put all the little bits of junk food (yum) onto 3d foam pads.I drafted this post last night to give myself as much time as possible to make some "stuff" for the rest of the week.
Thanks for visiting, see you soon. Di. xx

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

I've decided i need to spend more time doing some actual crafting instead of spending so much time on the DC website. I've spent so much time fiddling and faffing about trying to sort out stuff on there i've hardly made anything in the last week. Well NO MORE i say!! I don't mean i won't be going there at all but i need to get making otherwise i'll have nothing to show you.
I did manage a couple of cards yesterday and this is one of them.

The stamp is a set from Kanban coloured with promarkers. Paper is out of a pack i've had for about 2 years and have lost the cover off it. The tag stamp is from a Papermania clear christmas stamp set.
Off to work now to earn an honest crust. Di.

Monday, 19 April 2010

Well, i did manage a little mooch around Abakhan yesterday. I tidied all my ribbons on friday night and realised i had far too many plain ones and that i "needed" some fancier ones.Of course that's not all i came out with.

Here it is all dumped in a heap.The little wooden thingies at the front were also Craft for Occasions.

I'm thinking perhaps some more of these notecards.I also got some sparkly bits just to add a bit of bling.

I found a little sale area,not very exciting but i thought these "papers" by Habico were a good find for 55p. I took them out of the packets to find they were actually card and 3 of each colour were double sided.

The peach ones had soft green on the back and the lemon ones had a sort of amethyst. Yippee! I can feel some boxes coming on !! I got a few 1 metre lengths of ribbon too.

I've been into town this morning to do some food shopping. I didn't get on the scales today as i fear the worst and it may put me off track with the diet, i'd best pretend all is well and get on with it!
Off to play now. Di.

Sunday, 18 April 2010

When i went to Liverpool on wednesday i bought a stamp set called it's a mans world by Clare Curd. I totally forgot about it when i got home. It was only when i got the burgundy wedding invite card out to start folding and cutting it to size (boring task) that i found it in the bag. I've got quite a few mens stamps but they're mainly old geezers so this one is great for younger men.

This chap is your typical husband beached up in the chair sleeping off the beer and the tide of emotion that is involved with watching the match,,exhausted bless him! Now we can craft in peace for a couple of hours. I must say speedy isn't a footy fan but he's beached up on the settee watching the F1 as i write this post.

I paperpieced the chair to match the backing paper which is by Clare Curd, and put the beer and remote on 3d foam pads The idle sod is coloured with promarkers. I'm going to give the card to a friend of ours who has just retired. There is another fantastic card made with this stamp at Coops Cluttered Corner if you'd like to take a peek.
Well i'm off to get showered and dressed now,do a minimum amount of housework and a bit of colouring before Speedy eventually drags me to the pub later this afternoon. Perhaps i could sneek into Abakhan first as it's only a very short walk down the canal.
Thanks for looking. Di.xx

UPDATE!! I finished this post and went to make us another drink, my coffee had gone cold so i thought i'd just reheat it in the microwave. I put it in and switched on. I don't know how but it somehow managed to tip over. There was coffee inside the microwave, under it ,all over the worktop and on the floor. The language was choice!! And the beached up bloke on the settee? Totally oblivious even though the kitchen is right nextdoor. Don't we just love 'em!

Saturday, 17 April 2010

I dont very often make cards for children ,but i just fancied making a couple when i was off on thursday. I made a girls card and a boys card. I quite enjoyed making them.

The image is by Elzybels and the caption came with the set.I do love these little sheep. The papers are from my scraps box.Colouring is done with promarkers. The little stickers are from a kit i bought from C&C when i first started card making.

The grass and sky are coloured with chalks.I'll have to find a birthday boy and girl to give them to now.

Off to work this morning,Speedy is meeting me when i finish to ruin our diet as i promised we could relax the rules a bit at weekends.

Friday, 16 April 2010

Just a quickie post today as i'm on my way to work. This is the sort of card i sell in the shop i work in. Nothing special as people won't pay much in a paper shop. If it was a gift shop it may be different. Still i get to keep all the money as my boss doesn't take any of it off me.

The image is from Whipper snapper and i got it fom Hobbycraft,coloured with promarkers. This type sells for £1.50, slightly better ones go for £2. I dont sell loads but it gets me about £20 amonth for stash.

Friday weigh in 10 stone, thats 2 pounds off. How much will go back on over the weekend .....Hmmmm......

Thursday, 15 April 2010

What makes you think i'm missing my evening quaff then?! Well if a can't drink it i can craft it.Actually i can't lie,,,i did partake in a glass of red last night but only one! I made a yummy tomato soup for tea so i figured i was allowed a treat. The soup was made from tinned cherry tomatoes,stock,onion,chives and basil,simmered for about 20 mins then blitzed with a bit of milk.Simple but gorgeous.

You're not going to believe this but the stamp is by Stamps Happen again, i didn't realise i had so many,they must be "me" stamps. I put it all together then i totally risked ruining it by glazing the glass and the bottle. Luckily it looks really good.

You can't really see the glaze in this photo. The paper is from the Papermania pad i bought yesterday.The card is A5 size. I really like how it tuned out and may keep it for Speedys birthday in july.
Thanks for visiting, Di.xx

Wednesday, 14 April 2010

Back from Liverpool with a bit of new stash. I went because i've got some wedding invites to make and i needed a load of burgundy card for the bases.Of course i couldn't go all that way just for that could i? I also bought a papermania capsule collection pad in green,only one sheet of each design so i'll have to be careful how i chop it up, not for low mojo days. 50 little C7 envies for notelets,a couple of peel off sheets incase i have to resort to them for the brides choice of card design and another box of mixed coloured card just because it was there.

Then i went to the art shop and got 4 more promarkers to fill in the gaps in my gowing collection. They were £2.09 each but i couldn't wait to order from Mrs Sheen , i wanted them now!

I made this card on monday night but it was too late to photograph it so i've done it today.

The stamp is by Stamps Happen (again) and the paper is from a Brenda Pinnick stack from QVC. I made it because i wanted to play with the flowers from Dunhelm Mill. I'm not sure if i like them but they might "grow" on me.

I chalked around the edge of the image as i often do if it looks a bit bare. I'm going to have a little snackette, then i'm off to have a little play. Sod the housework until tonight. Di.x

Tuesday, 13 April 2010

Hi everyone.I got to my mums yesterday and she'd made me some little CAKES!!!! I was so tempted but i was a good girl, i brought them home and put them straight into the freezer,phew!! I'm not going to tell Speedy about them otherwise they'll come straight back out,i may pull a couple out at the weekend depending on the scales.I made some crab and sweetcorn soup for last night and tonight which is a good start.

The "card du jour" is one of my older ones from my picasa albums. I think i was still using whispers pens for colouring. I can't remember where i got the paper from, dead helpful today hey? Still it is early. I'm off to work soon, i'm working with my boss who is only 22 and eats all day.Great.
See you soon. Di.x

Monday, 12 April 2010

Mornin' everyone, it looks like it's going to be another nice one.Diet starts today weighing in at ten stone two! Bear in mind i'm only 5' 2", of slight build and most of the weight is "out front". Me and Speedy are both the same shape! Mention diet to him though and he starts panic eating so we went to our local and had fish chips and peas as a sort of "last supper". I reckon if i do a weigh in on here every friday i've got a better chance of sticking to it. We'll see.
Anyway on to the card.

That flower doesn't clash like that in real life and who said the camera never lies? The paper is from the papermania naughty and nice christmas pad.My nesties had a rare airing for this one.

I coloured tilda with promarkers and propped her up with 3d foam pads. A little peel off and some flat backed gems finishes it off.
I'm off to mums today to help her with her shopping. She's 89 and a damn sight fitter than i'll ever be. Thanks for visiting. Di. x

Sunday, 11 April 2010

I've needed a new pillow for months now,you know how they go flat and you end up having to sleep with your hand underneath.Not good! I don't drive and Speedy is not forthcoming with offers of transport to the shops but today i made him take me to Dunhelm mill. I packed him off to PC World to stop him "sitting on my shoulder" all around the shop(as they do).I was mooching around upstairs (no craft stuff in the Chester one) and came by these flowers.

They were less than a fiver for the lot.When i took them to the till the assistant dutifully said "these are lovely are'nt they". She looked horrified when i said i was going to rip them to bits!!
Here they are ripped to bits..............

There were 40 on the blue stem and 23 various sized ones on the cream stem.I tittered to my self when i read on the label "this is not a toy", i'm sorry but a beg to differ!!
I also bought a shower curtain,some new towels, oh, and a new pillow!
Well isn't it a lovely sunny day? I've got to go on a diet this week, i'm not grossly overweight but i can;t hide behind cardigans and coats anymore. The booze belly has sadly got to go, christmas is finally over!!!

Saturday, 10 April 2010

Here is the card made with the last of my Stamps Happen finds from hobbycraft.

The papers are from Clare Curds signature stack, i don't think i'll ever work my way through this massive pad! The flowers are made using a Clare Curd clear set.

The card base is a 6"x6" linen card.I felt it wasn't quite finished so i added a bit of doodling around the edges. This is not the first time this stamp has been inked up. I made this little gift set to go with my stepdaughters 21st birthday prezzie a while ago.

The instuctions for the little gift bag are here. The notepad was 19p from Wilkinsons.The card is 5"X5, you don't need an envelope.
Working till 1.30 today then off to the pub for a different kind of "artistry" lol. Good luck in the Grand National. Di. xx

Friday, 9 April 2010

This is what i was making on wednesday night when i got sidetracked by the little wooden hearts.

The third of my stamps happen bargains,(although i did find them on the Sirstampalot site at £5.95 last night). The background paper is Papermania creative tones and the cardbase is 5"x5" hessian look.

I added a bit of liquid pearls for the froth. The sentiment stamp is from Elzybels,i know latte and espresso aren't the same but who cares!
Off to work now see you soon . Di.x

Thursday, 8 April 2010

After all the site problems, this new site had better be a darned site better, i've spent half the morning trying to add a second photo to an upload and now i can't even get into the forums. RANT RANT RANT!!!

My sister bought me a little packet of wooden hearts for christmas and they've been sitting around in my drawer waiting for the brain to kick in.I found them last night when i was looking for something else and i thought "tonight's the night"! I abandoned what i was doing and made these little notecards before the idea left my head.

The little cards are 4"x4" made with hessian look card again. Then i needed something to package them in .I wasn't in a box making mood so i put them in a cello bag and made a matching topper. The "love" stamp was in a set of 6 from Lakeland about 2 years ago.

Well there's another little pressie for in my emergency stash. Thanks for looking. Di. xx P.S The hearts were from Hobbycraft.

Wednesday, 7 April 2010

Here is my next card made from my quad of Stamp Happens bargains from Hobbycraft.

You can't actually see it but the card base is a lovely hessian texture,(another bargain from the papermill shop). I've been photographing it all around the flat trying to get it to show up, even the toilet seat in the brightly lit bathroom was no good!Oh well never mind. The paper is from my minds eye bloom and grow pad.

Ooh, you can see it in this pic! Not such a wasted morning after all.Got a friend calling round tomorrow so i've got to tidy up a bit,then nip to town,then i might get time to play again before kitchen duty.

S4H License for TLC Designs

Meljens digi flowers

Please don't think me awful but these are so time consuming.

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About Me

I am fifty something with no kids, cats or dogs to take up my crafting time. I have a lovely hubby(Speedy) who doesnt care what i've been doing all day as long as he's fed and watered every night.I work part time in a famous "Olde Sweet Shoppe" and have access to loads of sweets and chocs for my gift making.I am also a complete technophobe!
Can i just add that although I'm happy for any body to use my creations as inspiration ,could anyone who makes something which has an uncanny resemblance to something I have made put a link to me on their blog/website as I have and will endeavour to do.Thank you.